President Lenin Moreno's London visit to attend a summit also allegedly 'to finalize the deal'

President Lenin Moreno's London visit to attend a summit also allegedly 'to finalize the deal'

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<strong>President of Ecuador Lenin Moreno has warned Julian Assange, founder of WikiLeaks, that he will "take action" if he continues talking about Catalonia, thus reinforcing his threat to evict him from the Ecuadorian embassy in London.</strong>

<strong>Julian Assange may soon be leaving Ecuador’s embassy in London, where he has been taking refuge since 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden (</strong><strong><a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/julian-assange-free-wikileaks-ecuador-embassy-evict-london-uk-a8460531.html"><em>Independent</em></a><em>)</em>.</strong>

"We have given Mr. Assange a condition: that he stops intervening in politics and the countries' self-determination; otherwise, measures will be taken," Moreno said 5th August in an interview in Ecuador TV (<a href="https://www.elperiodico.com/es/internacional/20180807/ecuador-amenaza-a-assange-de-echarlo-de-la-embajada-de-londres-si-sigue-hablando-de-catalunya-6979246"><em>El Periódico</em>, in Spanish</a>).

It is understood that Quito and London are working at a high diplomatic level so that the hacker leaves the headquarters whilst his human rights are simultaneously respected. Chancellor José Valencia Amores said that his office is seeking "an understanding within the framework of international law ... there is no fixed term [for a solution] because the case is complex." (<a href="https://www.eltelegrafo.com.ec/noticias/editoriales/1/asilo-politico-julian-assange"><em>El Telégrafo</em>, in Spanish</a>)

Several reports claim Ecuador is getting ready to withdraw <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embassy_of_Ecuador,_London">its asylum protection for Assange after six years</a>, amid pressure from the United States and the United Kingdom.

Several reports claim Ecuador is getting ready to withdraw <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embassy_of_Ecuador,_London">its asylum protection for Assange after six years</a>, amid pressure from the United States and the United Kingdom.

Ecuadorean President Lenin Moreno is allegedly set to finalize the deal to turn Assange over in the coming days. Moreno, who is in a wheelchair, is attending a London <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/global-disability-summit-2018/about">global summit</a> on disabilities (<em><a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-ecuador-assange/stalemate-over-wikileaks-assanges-future-coming-to-a-head-source-idUSKBN1KD1US">Reuters</a>)</em>. Moreno was elected president in May and has made it quite clear he isn’t too fond of his country’s role in protecting Assange, who he has described as a “hacker,” a “stone in the shoe” for his administration, and an “inherited problem.”

Ecuadorean President Lenin Moreno is allegedly set to finalize the deal to turn Assange over in the coming days. Moreno, who is in a wheelchair, is attending a London <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/global-disability-summit-2018/about">global summit</a> on disabilities (<em><a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-ecuador-assange/stalemate-over-wikileaks-assanges-future-coming-to-a-head-source-idUSKBN1KD1US">Reuters</a>)</em>. Moreno was elected president in May and has made it quite clear he isn’t too fond of his country’s role in protecting Assange, who he has described as a “hacker,” a “stone in the shoe” for his administration, and an “inherited problem.”

Initially, Assange sought asylum because Sweden was seeking to interview him about rape allegations. Sweden has <a href="https://internationalextraditionblog.com/2011/06/15/sweden-extradition-treaty-with-the-united-states/">an extradition treaty with the U.S.</a>, where Assange is also wanted over leaks of classified information, as well as with the UK.

Initially, Assange sought asylum because Sweden was seeking to interview him about rape allegations. Sweden has <a href="https://internationalextraditionblog.com/2011/06/15/sweden-extradition-treaty-with-the-united-states/">an extradition treaty with the U.S.</a>, where Assange is also wanted over leaks of classified information, as well as with the UK.

Ecuador’s government has been particularly angry at how Assange’s support for separatist movements in Catalonia led to complaints from Spain. In a sign of the growing tensions between Assange and his hosts, Ecuador cut off Assange’s access to the internet and severely restricted his access to visitors earlier this year.

Ecuador’s government has been particularly angry at how Assange’s support for separatist movements in Catalonia led to complaints from Spain. In a sign of the growing tensions between Assange and his hosts, Ecuador cut off Assange’s access to the internet and severely restricted his access to visitors earlier this year.

According to sources cited by <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-ecuador-assange/stalemate-over-wikileaks-assanges-future-coming-to-a-head-source-idUSKBN1KD1US">Reuters</a> “the situation is very serious. Things are coming to a head.” [The latest information from inside the embassy is] “not looking good”.

According to sources cited by <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-ecuador-assange/stalemate-over-wikileaks-assanges-future-coming-to-a-head-source-idUSKBN1KD1US">Reuters</a> “the situation is very serious. Things are coming to a head.” [The latest information from inside the embassy is] “not looking good”.

Reports of an imminent eviction were stirred by a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uE6lbzNY4tw">YouTube video</a> showing furniture being removed out of the embassy in vans.

Reports of an imminent eviction were stirred by a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uE6lbzNY4tw">YouTube video</a> showing furniture being removed out of the embassy in vans.

However, both the Ecuadorean government and British government sources played down suggestions that there was likely to be any imminent movement to break the stalemate.

However, both the Ecuadorean government and British government sources played down suggestions that there was likely to be any imminent movement to break the stalemate.

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